Circle-K Joins CVS, Rite Aid, Disables NFC, Apple Pay

[JoeTomasone]

Looks like Circle K has joined the misguided MCX member ban of NFC payments.

I went to make a purchase there this morning, and when I went to hold my iPhone up to the reader, the girl said, "We are not allowed to take that!" and actually tried to put her hand in between the phone and the reader!

She was too slow, however, and I the transaction completed on the iPhone side, but was declined.

The final irony? She explained that they don't accept Apple Pay "due to credit card fraud"!

So, I've added Circle K to the list of places I won't be frequenting. Presumably the entire list of MCX merchants can be added now.

 

[deeddawg]

Strange things are afoot at the Circle-K!

(sorry, couldn't resist the opportunity...)

 

[Arcade]

They are not taking my money...

ILL SHOP SOME WHERE ELSE THAT TAKE APPLE PAY!!!

 

[imnjs]

I cut up all my cards and burned all my cash. I will go homeless before paying with anything but Apple Pay.

 

[CaptMarvel]

a K is just perpendicular lines anyway.

 

[Noble Actual]

Never heard of Circle K.

So that joins the list with Rite Aid.

Never heard of both of them.

Wish CVS supported NFC just because there's one close to me, but I have always get medicine from Costco.

 

[CoilTap]

The best part about all of this is that all of the stores disabling NFC are both spiting their existing users who were using contactless cards and Google Wallet as well as lowering their service level. The latter is hilarious as these stores are all retailers who are a commodity. There are a bajillion alternatives that sell the same stuff at pretty much the same prices. All it does to limit your service offerings is to incentivize customers to go to one of your equally commoditized competitors.

 

[Statcoder]

I cut up all my cards and burned all my cash. I will go homeless before paying with anything but Apple Pay.

Just eat all of your meals at McDonalds and buy everything else at Walgreens. You can even get your Starbucks.

 

[uchosen]

Circle K not accepting Apple Pay?! I mean, where am I going to do my Christmas shopping now?

 

[G4R2]

I wouldn't give CVS and Rite Aid too much grief. I'm sure their marketting geniuses put a lot of thought into this so customers shouldn't worry their pretty little heads. This closed strategy worked really well for America Online with AOL instant messenger. I'm sure they'll be equally succesful by preventing customers from paying for products at their stores.

Makes a lot of sense actually, if you happen to an idiot.

 

[Bobby Corwen]

Thread is bogus.

Thanks for your "report" OP I know you mean well but you failed. And also just so other ppl realize, you can engage Apple Pay and get the check mark at Circle K and any place that has NFC but that doesn't mean to transaction will work, even when you get the check mark. It has to be enabled in both places by the merchant.

Circle K never took Apple Pay, even in the first few days, so you phrased it like it was another CVS situation but at Circle K it was never enabled.

I tried it personally on day one and it didn't work.

Thread title is off.

CVS used to take them and neutered it.
Circle K has not taken them from day one.

 

[KPOM]

Strange things are afoot at the Circle-K!

(sorry, couldn't resist the opportunity...)

Except this is BOGUS!

 

[dontwalkhand]

Still works at my Circle K. Some of them say they can't take it because it's broken but most works. I still buy my 79 cent polar pops from there all the time with Apple Pay.

Circle Ks are very dirty places anyway and I rarely like going to then unless it's for a polar pop.

 

[lordofthereef]

I cut up all my cards and burned all my cash. I will go homeless before paying with anything but Apple Pay.

This is currently the best post in the Internet.

 

[Bobby Corwen]

Still works at my Circle K. Some of them say they can't take it because it's broken but most works. I still buy my 79 cent polar pops from there all the time with Apple Pay.

Circle Ks are very dirty places anyway and I rarely like going to then unless it's for a polar pop.

Oh I guess it does work? I searched online and didn't see any mentions of it but maybe some do have it. Nm.

 

[JoeTomasone]

Oh I guess it does work? I searched online and didn't see any mentions of it but maybe some do have it. Nm.

Apology accepted!

 

[Bobby Corwen]

Apology accepted!

Thanks for forgiving me...

 

[YouGoGlenCocoa]

Strange things are afoot at the Circle-K!

(sorry, couldn't resist the opportunity...)

LOL! Badass!!

 

[The Merg]

Strange things are afoot at the Circle-K!

(sorry, couldn't resist the opportunity...)

LOL!

- Merg

 

[stasha]

a client should have choice on how they want to pay,refusing a client who want to pay with apple pay is a disrespect

 

[BeK]

I cut up all my cards and burned all my cash. I will go homeless before paying with anything but Apple Pay.

Lol. Good one.

 

[mike1123]

This is a classic Blu Ray vs HD-DVD battle. One side is going to lose, and it won't be Apple Pay.

What usually decides the winner ermmmm... Guess we have to wait and see what the pr0n industry goes with. Not sure I want to be a part of that! Lol

 

[mbhforum]

I just went to Walgreens to get my son medicine and used Apple Pay even though Rite Aid and CVS were right there as well. They will lose business because of this.

----------

I wouldn't give CVS and Rite Aid too much grief. I'm sure their marketting geniuses put a lot of thought into this so customers shouldn't worry their pretty little heads. This closed strategy worked really well for America Online with AOL instant messenger. I'm sure they'll be equally succesful by preventing customers from paying for products at their stores.



Makes a lot of sense actually, if you happen to an idiot.

Good analogy. Remember when Blackberry refused to open BBM to other platforms? Now they opened it up and we all know it was a little too late....

 

[The Merg]

a client should have choice on how they want to pay,refusing a client who want to pay with apple pay is a disrespect

Um no. It's no different than a store saying they don't accept checks or AmEx.

- Merg

 

[dontwalkhand]

Um no. It's no different than a store saying they don't accept checks or AmEx.

- Merg

It is not the same thing. You can still take Apple Pay and say no Amex, if you try to Apple Pay an Amex card it would just decline, but you can still ApplePay another card.